Ments



H. R. STANBON.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED AuG.1,1`91e.

1 3 30, 92 l Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

UNTER srn'rns rnrrnnr OFFICE.

HARRY R. STANBON, 0F SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHTNERY CORPORATION, OF RATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A. CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

FOLDNG-MAOHINE. p

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed. August 7, 1916. Serial No. 113,542.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that lf, HARRY R. STANBON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Folding-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several ligures.

This invention relates to folding machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for `folding the margins of pieces of upper leather which are used in the manA ufacture of boots and shoes.

rl`he general object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and facilitate the operation of such machines. To this end one feature of the invention comprises a combined folder, fold rubber and presser adapted to fold the margin of the stock, to rub the fold and to cooperate with a feed member to feed the stock. By making use of a member having these functions, it is possible to reduce the number of elements below that formerly used and at the same time to reduce the space formerly occupied by these elements so that pieces of stock having curved edges of small radii may be operated upon more readily.

This and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will be described in connection with an illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying draw ings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the moving parts of a machine in which the present invention is y embodied, the frame being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the folding, rubbing and feeding instrumentalities;

Fig. 3 is a perspective showing the mechanism for actuating the knife;

Fig. 4 is a perspective ofpart of the mechanism for actuating the feed roll;

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectives at different angles showing` a. piece of leather being folded and rubbed.

Mounted in suitable bearings in the frame of the machine is a driving shaft 1 having the usual loose pulleys 3 which are adapted to be clutched to the shaft by manipulating a lever 5. To the outer end of the shaft 1 is fast a spiral gear 7 which meshes with a similar gear 9 keyed to an uprightw1 shaft 11 on the lower end of which is mounted a combined folding and rubbing member 13. rlhe shaft 11 has an upper portion of reduced diameter to receive a coiled spring 15 the lower end of which abuts the shaft 9 and the upper enda cap 17 threaded into a bushing 19 by which the tension of the spring may be varied. A collar 21 fast to the shaft 11 is engaged by a yoke 23 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 25 and having depending from its free end a finger piece 27 by manipulating which the shaft 11 may be raised when desired.

The feed -roll 29 projects through an opening in the work support 31 and is fast to a shaft 33 which is connected by an Oldham coupling with a shaft 35 having keyed to and slidable upon it a friction wheel 37 arranged to engage a driving` cone 39 on the driving shaft l. The shaft 85 is mounted in bearings in a yoke 41 which is supported inthe frame of the machine by pivots 43., 45. A spring 47 connects the yoke with the frame of the machine and holds the friction wheel 37 up against the cone 39. A shifting yoke 49 which is mounted on a slidable rod 51 engages a collar on the hub ofi the wheel 37. The yoke 49 has a slot in its lower portion arranged to receive a pin 53 in the end of the arm 55 carried by a rock shaft 57. A second arm 59 fast to the same shaft is connected with a treadle rod 6l and provides treadle controlled means for shifting the friction wheel 37 along the cone 39 to vary the rate` of r0- tation of the shaft 35 and hence that of the feed wheel 29. The rock shaft 57 also carries a cam 63 which, when the rod 61 is pulled downwardly, contacts with an arm 65 loose on a second rock shaft 67. The hub of the starting arm 5 is fast to the shaft and carries a depending finger 69, an adjusting screw 71 being threaded through the linger into contact with the arm 65. When, therefore, the treadle rod 61 is pulled downwardly the first effect is to apply power to the driving shaft 1 and to start slow rotation of the feed roll 29. Further move;

ment of the rod 61 increases the rate of r0- tation of said roll.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2,' 5 land 6, the table or work support 31 is slotted to receive Va bar having at its end a preliminary turning member 73 which serves to make a preliminary upwardl turn in the margin of the stock as said stock is fed past it. This turning memberor plow is cut away in the rear to form a low portion over which a part of the wheel 13 eX- tends. Opposite this low portion is the operative end. of a creaser or fold guide 75 over which also a part of the wheel 13 extends. The folding and rubbing wheel is of conicalfshape on its under side and is cut away radially to` form a notch, herein shown at V-shaped, the purpose of which is to provide means for forming a fold by bending the margin ofthe stock over the end of the creaser after said margin has been given a preliminary upward turn by the plow 73.

The operation of thefeeding, folding and rubbing instrumentalities is as follows The forward portion of the stock to be folded is inserted beneath the stem of the creaser or fold lguide 75 with the side edge of the leather well up on the plow 73,( an edge gage in thev form of a pin 77 on the plow being provided if desired, the forward edge of the leather extending slightly beyond the end of the creaser 75. As the wheel 13 rotates, the vertical wall 79 of the notchbends the margin of the leather over the creaser to: form the fold, and then the wheel rides up on the fold thus formed, as shown in Fig. 6and rubs .the fold as it is fed beyond the creaser until the wheel reaches approximately the position shown in Fig. 5 at which time the wheel rides down off the fold preparatory to the formation of a new one.l 1t will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the wheel 13 rotates very much faster than the feed roll 29 and consequently that it rubs the folded edge. 1t should be noted too that one purpose of the wheel 13 is to hold the stock down on the feed roll 29 so that said stock will be fed forward. v

It is desirable at times to slit or snip-the margin of the stockl prior t0 the folding operation, and for this purpose a knife 81, which cooperates with a slot in the plow 73, is fast to -a bell crank lever 83 pivoted at S5 to the frame of the machine. The upright arm of'this'bell crank lever is pivoted at 87 toa lin-k 89 which is urged upwardly at all times by a spring 91.V Keyed to the link 89 and-held against' an adjusting nut 93 by a springf95 isa sleeve 97 having a projection 99ywhich is in. engagement with a pin 101 on an- .oscillatory arm 103, said arm carrying a roll. ,105 which .runs in the track of. a barrel earn..vr 107 on the driving shaftl. As thus far described the knife would vibrate continually. 1t is desirable, however, that the knife occupy normally. a position of rest and be thrown into operation when desired. To this end a lever 109 normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring 110 has a pin 111 which engages the sleeve 97 and holds the projection 99 below the path of oscillation of the pin 101. A treadle rod 113 furnishes means for rocking` the lever 109 to permit the spring 91 to raise the link 89 into the position shown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the machine the work is fed to the folding and rubbing instrumentalities as has been described, the 0perator controlling` the rate of feed by means of a treadle attached to the rod G1 and controlling the operation ofthe knife by a treadle attached to the rod 113.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a feed member for engaging one side of a piece of stock, and a combined folder, fold rubber and presser, constructed and arranged to fold the margin, to rub the fold and to cooperate with the feed member in feeding the stock.

2. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin of the stock, a creaser or fold-guide, a feed member adjacent thereto, and a combined folder and rubber constructed and arranged to fold the margin over upon the bod)Y of the stock and to rub the fold at a point beyond the creaser.

3. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin of the stock', a creaser or fold-guide, a feed member adjacent thereto, and a combined folder and rubber having a portion arranged to wipe the up-turned margin over upon the body of the stock :1nd a second portion arranged to rub the fold at a point beyond the creaser.

4, A machine of the class described, having, in combination, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin of the stock, a creaser or fold-guide, a feed member adjacent thereto, a combined folder and rubber constructed and arranged to fold the margin over upon the body of the stock and to rub the fold at a point beyond the creaser, means for rotating said member, and a spring permitting said member to rise and fall.

5. A machine of the class described. having, in combination, a support for the stock, feeding means, a creaser, and a rotary member having an operative face at approximately right angles to the support` and a secondi operativeface at an angle to said rst named face, said first named face acting to fold the margin over the creaser upon the body of the stock and said last named face to press the plies of the fold together.

6. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, feeding means, a creaser, a rotary member having an operative face at approximately right angles to the support, and a second operative face at an angle to said first named face, said first named face acting to fold the margin over the creaser upon the body of the stock and said last named face to press the plies of the fold together, and resilient means for moving said member toward said support.

7. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, feeding means, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin 'of the work, a creaser or fold-guide, and a combined folder and rubber comprising a rotary Wheel having a portion cut away.

8. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, feeding means, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin of the work, a creaser or fold-guide, a combined folder and rubber comprising a rotary wheel having a portion cut away, and yielding means for urging said wheel toward said support.

9. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, a feed roll projecting through said support, a creaser located adjacent to said roll, and a combined folder and rubber constructed and arranged to coperate with the creaser to form the fold and with the roll to rub the 'fold and feed the stock.

l0. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, a feed roll projecting through said support, a creaser located. adjacent to said roll, a combined folder and rubber constructed and arranged to cooperate with the creaser to form the fold and with the roll to rub the fold and feed the stock, and yielding means for urging said member toward said support.

ll. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, means for feeding the stock over the support, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin of the stock, a

creaser or fold-guide, a spring-pressed mutilated wheel, and means for rotating said wheel to cause it to wipe the. upturned margin over the creaser to ride up on the folded portion thus formed and to ride down off the folded portion preparatory to repeating the cycle of operations.

l2. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, means for feeding the stock over the support, a preliminary turning member having a low portion, a creaser having its operative end located opposite said low portion, and a rapidly rotating folder comprising a mutilated wheel partially overlying said low portion and creaser.

13. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, a roll for feeding the stock over the support, a preliminary turning member, a creaser having its operative end located adjacent to said member, and a rotary folder comprising a mutilated wheel partially overlying said creaser and roll.

14. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, means for feeding the stock over the support, a creaser and a combined folder and rubber comprising a conical wheel having a notch in one side thereof.

l5. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for the stock, a feed member for engaging one side of the stock, means for making a preliminary upward turn in the margin of the stock, and a combined folder and rubber constructed and arranged to fold over the upturned margin and to coperate with the feed member to rub the fold and to feed the stock.

16. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a support for a piece of stock, means for feeding the stock over the support, means for progressively forming a fold in the margin of the stock, means for progressively rubbing the fold, a slitting knife, and means for Varying the rate of feed during the operation of the machine.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

HARRY R. STANBON. 

